Spring shank



June 1s, 1929. QWLLER 1.717.994

' SPRING SHANK Filed Sept. lO, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOH June 18, 1929. MILLER SPRING sHANK Filed Sept. 10, 1923 2 Sheels-Sheet 2 INVENTOH ATTURMEYS,

Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES MILLER, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPRING SHANK.

Application led September My invention relates to a new` and im proved shoe having a spring shank.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a shoe having a resilient metal blade embodied therein so that proper support is provided for the arch of the foot.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shoe having a resilient metal member made of two relatively movable parts, so that said parts can freely move with respect to each other, without injuring the shoe.

Another'objec-t of my invention is to provide a shoe having a resilient metal member of such contour and so arranged that the arch of the foot of the wearer will be fieXed into proper position during the walking 0peration.

Gther and important objects of my invention will be sctforth in the following description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

l is a perspective view.

Fig. 2 is an inner plan view with the inner sole removed.

F 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 4L is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.-

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view ofthe resilient member or blade.

Fig. 8 is a detail view similar to Fig. Il, but on a larger scale.

The shoe is provided with a heel H and this heel H is preferably made higher upon the inside part of the shoe, so that the result is that a pair of shoes constructed with such heels are inclined at their heel portions with respect to each other and the tendency is to throw the ankles of the user outwardly. The shoe is provided with the ordinary outer sole B and with an inner sole 11. The shoe can be finished in any well-known manner. The resilient metal blade l is mounted between the inner sole ll and the outer sole B. The spring is connected to the inner sole 11 by means of a fastening member 8, which preferably has a flat smooth top, and the rear member 5 of the spring is also secured to the inner sole 1l by means of a fastener 6 which preferably has a smooth bottom and a divided top as shown in Fig. 6. The head of fastener 6 may fit into a recess in the top of outer sole B, as shown in Fig. G, although said fastener might have its head extending through the opening in sole B, and into a depression in the heel. The spring therefore 10, 1923. SeriaI No. 661,736.

comprises a front part and a rear part which are slidably connected by means of a slot 9 in the spring l, and a rivet 7 connected to the rear member 5. This rivet 7 can slide in the said slot 9, and connection is also provided by means of the bent over guides a of the rear member 5. The spring l fits wit-hin the guides so snugly that the only movement thereof is longitudinal and this is important because any lateral twisting movement at this point would injure the shoe.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, and in Fig. 7, the spring l is made of apiece of flat resilient metal and this is so thin and so narrow that the spring can be bent laterally, that is in a direction parallel to the width of the shoe so that the said spring can be subjected to a torsional movement about the longitudinal axis of the shoe. The front of the spring has an extension 2, which follows the shape or contour of the inner part of the rear of the sole.

The shoe is also provided with an extra lining 10 which extends to the top of the upper of the shoe and is held in position between the inner sole ll, and outer sole B. When the shoe is laced into the closed condition this lining member l0 is adapted to lit snugly around the foot of the wearer and support the bones of the arch in conjunction with the metal spring before described. This lining is made of any suitable non-stretchable fabric.

The action of my improved shoe is as follows: Vhile the wearer is standing, the ankles are thrown outwardly to a slight degree, as I prefer to make the heel higher at the inside by about 1/16 of an inch.

In the beginning of the walking movement the sole of the shoe remains on the ground while the heel is raised. Since the spring l has the inner extension 2, this extension 2 remains on the ground while the rest of the spring is raised, since said 'extension 2 is made sufficiently long for the purpose. This, in connection Vith the contour of the spring and the fact that the heel is higher on the inside, tends to give a twist or torsional movement to the rear of the shoe and to the rea-r of the foot after the heel has been raised, so that the bones of the arch are twisted or bent upwardly so as to build up the arch and relieve any pain or the like due to fallen arches. At the same time any spreadingout of the bones of the arch is prevented by the inner lining 10, so that a perfect arch support ant arch strengthener is provided.

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I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is clear that numerous changes and modilications may be made with out departing from its spirit of the claims.

I claim:

l. In a shoe having a heel, an inner sole and an outer sole, longitudinal spring means located between said inner sole and said outer sole, said spring means comprising two relatively slidable spring parts, connecting means for said spring parts located in the arch portion of the shoe and directly adjacent the front portion et the heel, said connecting means being adapted to confine the relative movement of said spring parts to a substantially longitudinal movement, the heel portion of the outer sole having a depression posterior to the liront edge of the heel, and a fastening device located in said depression and connecting the rear movable spring part to said inner sole, and additional fastening means connecting the Jfront movable spring part to the inner sole.

2. In a shoe having a heel, an inner sole and an outer sole, longitudinal spring means located between said inner sole and said outer sole, said spring means comprising two relatively slidable spring parts, connecting means for said spring parts located in the arch portion of the shoe and directly1 adjacent the front portion of the heel, said connecting means being adapted to confine the relative movement oi said spring parts to a substantially longitudinal movement, the heel portion of the outer sole having a depression posterior to the front edge of the heel, and a fastening device located in said depression and connecting the rear movable spring part to said inner sole, and additional fastening means connecting the front movable spring part to the inner sole, the front spring member having a lateral extension in front of the point at which it is connected to the outer sole.

In testimony whereof I hereunto anix my signature.

CHARLES MILLER. 

